Theresa May left alone as EU leaders turn on her
British prime minister Theresa May has been left isolated after her alternative economic and trade plans for Brexit were shot down by senior EU figures.
The rejection of her Chequers plan at a leaders’ summit in Austria has now increased the prospect of an accidental no deal or of Britain crashing out of the EU.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar reiterated there is a “red line” over securing a guarantee for no border on the island of Ireland but that there is room for compromise even with time running out.
A dramatic end to the summit in Salzburg, Austria, saw European Council president Donald Tusk declare that Ms May’s plan would not work, leaving the alternative proposals dead in the water.
While saying Britain’s blueprint for future relations with the EU has some positive elements, Mr Tusk said: “The suggested framework for economic co-operation will not work.”
He declared that October would be the “moment of truth” for reaching a deal.
Mr Varadkar later agreed, saying an October summit needs to agree, in principle, a withdrawal deal for Britain before it is formally signed off on in November.
This agreement has to be ratified by the European Parliament and Westminster as well and the clock in ticking. Time is running out,” he said.
Mr Varadkar also rowed in behind criticism of Ms May’s Chequers plan, admitting it was never agreeable. “It proposes to divide the single market, to have one of the four freedoms but not the other three, and I think anyone could understand why that wouldn’t be acceptable to the European Union.”
There is still unflinching support from EU leaders for Ireland’s position and the need for a backstop to guarantee no border, said Mr Varadkar:
Once again, all of the EU leaders who spoke gave me their absolute support in standing behind Ireland, saying that an agreement that doesn’t work for Ireland doesn’t work for the EU.
The support was echoed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who said the Chequers plan was not acceptable and that fresh proposals from London would be needed in October.
Attention will now turn towards the EU summit next month, but also on Ms May as she faces into her Tory party conference.
Mr Varadkar agreed that there is still room for compromise, but not on the backstop clause for the border. This is a “red line”, he reiterated.
He and the Government, while still confident a deal can be reached, accept that there is the prospect of Britain leaving the EU without one.
“I think we are going to get a deal; an accidental no deal has always been a possibility. But I think we can achieve it.”
